Ian

Friday, May 21, 2010

Grandmas and Great Grandmas

Dear Ian,

I just put you down for your second nap today, and while singing our lullaby to you, it got me thinking about my grandmothers. They would be your great-grandmothers, and it saddens me that you never got to meet them.

Your Great-grandma Davis was such a sweet lady, and I dont even know how to start to describe her to you so that it would do her justice. I guess the best way to describe her would be to list some of the things that I learned or learned to appreciate because of her.

* Tuna fish sandwiches and Fruit Loops taste so much better after getting out of the pool.* A love of musicals and old movies like Meet Me In St. Louis, In the Good Old Summertime, and The Sound of Music.* Shirley Temple was her favorite.* Riding a scooter never goes out of style.* And neither does doing a split. She could do one well into her 60's.* She loved your Great-Grandpa with all of her heart, and I remember asking her once what she wanted to be when she grew up when she was younger, and her response was, "Papa's wife."* Family was so incredibly important to her, and she had our family tree detailed out about 4 generations.* She would have loved to hold you.

There are days when I can still hear her saying my name, still smell her perfume, and feel the way she used to brush my hair for hours. I make her famous cookie recipe now at Christmas time, and even though I follow it perfectly, I still feel like it's missing something; maybe it's her touch that is missing.

Your Great-grandma Colombrito was just as special. She was different that Grandma Davis in that she didnt bake cookies and she was a little more stern, but she was amazing in her own way. She forged her own path, receiving her Masters degree and expected nothing less of her children and grandchildren. Sometimes it felt hard to live up to her, but she loved us for who we were just the same.

She also had her silly moments. I remember her teaching us a song about bedbugs and mosquitos, and to this day it makes me smile. I sang it to you the other day, and you laughed and smiled, too. It's her lullaby that I sing to you every time you go to sleep, and singing to you just now for this nap is what made me start this post.

Some things about Grandma Colombrito that I will never forget...* "Mussint touches." One day I will have to say this to you and explain it. Hopefully I wont laugh. :)* Papa forever telling her to sit down!* The way she always had Cheerios or Oreos in the house.* Phisoderm bubble bath. Stuff smelled like awfulness, but she always let us have a bubble bath!

Your Daddy's Grandmas were just as special, but I didnt get to spend much time with your Great-grandma Brooks. In the time that I did get to spend with her, I learned that she made an amazing blueberry cobbler, and she was a phenomenal painter. We have one of her paintings here in the house. I cant wait to show it to you when you are a little older.

Great-grandma Graves is still with us. She is your only remaining Great-grandma, and she is just smitten with you. She loves to hold you and play with you, and you love to play with her jewelry. :) Great-grandma Graves sure loves her bracelettes and necklaces! She is currently dealing with her own health battles, but hopefully she will be around to watch you grow up and pass on some of her memories to you. I cant wait for your Daddy to share his memories of growing up with his Grandmothers to you, too.

As far as your Grandmas go, I will have to start another post! This one is already longer than I intended it to be, and I have so much to say about them. Just know for now that you are the most loved grandson on the planet to them, and that is the most important thing I could possibly say about them!